Clearance pad



April 1961 w. G. ANDERSON, JR 2,978,163

CLEARANCE PAD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 16, 1958 w M XJ J A: lllll) 2 M I X 6 KJ a M r ZW f I MI W M l V. L W lk 8 FL -w/ w r J w M a 8 INVENTOR.

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ATfdR/VEYS CLEARANCE PAD Wilbur G. Anderson, In, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to American Box Board Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Apr. 16, 1958, Ser. No. 728,837

4 Claims. (Cl. 229-14) This invention relates generally to means for protecting merchandise in shipment, and more particularly to a clearance pad receivable between easily damaged merchandise and an outer shipping container.

Fragile and easily damaged merchandise is required to be crated or packaged within a sturdy shipping container. At the same time, the merchandise must be spaced from the inner walls of the shipping container to prevent damage from the container itself. The more sturdy and serviceable the spacer means are the less sturdy and costly the shipping container is required to be; or, the more protection is provided with the same shipping container.

Heretofore some inner spacers have required further cotton batten padding or the like. This adds further to the expense of preparing the merchandise for shipment.

It is desirable that the inner packaging materials be inexpensive in cost, durable in use, and expendable at the site of unpacking. The material used should be readily available, clean, and easy to work with. The packing material should be simple in form for ease in shipment and storage. The material used should be self-suflicient in itself without need for soft coverings, as to protect rough and raw edges or surfaces. There are numerous other prerequisites to the ideal type of packaging material and, of course, different merchandise requires different considerations.

One of the most highly accepted forms of packaging material is that made of paperboard. This includes corrugated paperboard materials. Paperboard is readily available and is relatively inexpensive. It is available in different weights and thicknesses. It can be preformed as a flat blank for ease in handling, shipment and storage. It can be assembled at the site of packaging. It can be formed to provide multiple thicknesses, reinforcing itself, and to include spacers and surface covering areas. Paperboard is clean to handle and is readily disposed of when no longer serviceable.

This invention teaches the use of paperboard to provide a simple, inexpensive, and highly serviceable means of packaging merchandise withinan outer shipping container.

' For purposes of illustrating the advantages in the practice of this invention there is hereinafter described and illustrated a clearance pad for television receiver sets. Such clearance pad is made of paperboard material and is used to safeguard the television set, and its cabinet, from damage as crated for shipment within a suitable outer shipping container.

It is an object of this invention to provide a one piece unit readily assembled to form a protective member for goods in shipment. The clearance pad disclosed is formed from a single paperboard blank. Accordingly it is readily formed as a fiat blank which is easier to handle, store, and ship .to the site of use. Further, the blank is most readily erected and installed for use.

It is an object of this invention to provide a surface area cover and means of spacing and protecting interconnecting side wall areas from damage. The clearnitecl States Patent ance pad disclosed includes a large surface area readily received over the top cover of a television cabinet. It also includes reinforced spacers extending beyond the cover edges to space and center the side walls of the cabinet relative to an outer shipping container.

Another object of this invention is to teach the formation of diiferent types of reinforced spacer members from paperboard material. The clearance pad disclosed includes tubular spacers with fillers, tubular formed spacers with the ends tucked in, lateral and transverse spacers, close folded spacers, etc. Such spacers are adaptable for different purposes and will be explained as best suited for use.

Still another object of this invention is to teach a protective member formed to include no rough or raw edges which will damage the goods intended to be protected and which require no other soft covering. The disclosed clearance pad is formed to dispose an unobstructed surface area over and next adjacent the top of the television cabinet. The spacers are formed and disposed to generally have their sides rather than their raw ends exposed to the sides of the cabinet. Those spacers best formed with an end surface next adjacent a cabinet edge have fillers received therein and which are disposed to provide a protective face. All staples used in holding the spacers in their assembled form are disposed apart from the cabinet areas.

These and other objects and advantages will be more apparent in the illustration and description of an em.- bodiment of this invention, as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the paperboard blank from which the clearancepad of this invention is formed.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a filler member.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the filler member of Fig. 2 as partially folded.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the filler member of Figs. 2 and 3 as finally folded.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the clearance pad of this invention as partially formed for use.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view done of the spacers of the disclosed clearance pad, as seen in the plane of line VIVI in Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows thereon.

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view of the spacer shown by Fig. 6, having the filler removed therefrom.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross sectional view of another of the spacers of the disclosed clearance pad as seen in the plane of line VIIIVIII, of Fig. 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows thereon.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross sectional and partial view of the spacer shown by Fig. 8 as seen in the plane of line IX-IX, of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows thereon.

Fig. 10 is an end view of still another of the spacers, in a partially folded state, as seen in the plane of line XX of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows thereon.

Fig. 11 is a cross sectional view through the partially folded spacer shown by Fig. 10, as seen in the plane of line XIXI of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows thereon.

Fig. 12 is a partial view of the clearance pad as finally folded and ready for use. I

The clearance pad which is illustrated is particularly adapted for use in packing a television receiver set for shipment. The clearance pad is intended to protect the cabinet walls of the television receiver set by spacing the set apart from its outer shipping container. The clearance pad is received on the top of the television cabinet and front edges of the pad are formed to provide spacers Patented Apr. 4, 1961 which lay over the top edges of the television cabinet to space the sides and front of the set from the outer shipping container walls. The back edge of the clearance pad is formed to include reinforced spacers which space the back of the television set from the shipping container walls.

The disclosed clearance pad is formed in a manner to provide no raw edges, fasteners, or the like which will damage or mar the merchandise which it is intended to protect.

The clearance pad blank 10 is shown by Fig. 1. The blank 10 is made of paperboard. It is preferably a double layer of corrugated paperboard having the corrugations running across the blank.

A flap 12 is provided at the front edge 14 of the paperboard blank 10. The flap 12 is scored to provide fold lines 16, 18, 20 and 22. Fold line 22 is provided between the blank 10 and the flap 12. Ear tabs 24 and 26 are extended from the side edges of the flap 12 between fold lines 18 and 20. The ear tabs are scored to provide fold lines 28 and 30.

The corners of the paperboard blank 10 are cut away at 32, 34, 36 and 38. This forms the side edge tucks 4i) and 42. The side edges of the blank 10 are scored 10 provide fold lines 44, 46 and 48. Partial fold lines 58 and 52 are provided between the blank 10 and the side edge tucks 40 and 42. Intermediate these short fold lines the blank is slit at 54. Terminal cross slits 56 and 58 are provided at the end of the extended slit 54.

The blank 10 has a slit 60 provided in parallel spaced relation to its back terminal edge 62. The blank is also slit at 64, between the terminal edge 62 and the elongated slit 69. This forms a pair of symmetrical flaps 66 and 68. The flaps 66 and 68 are scored to provide fold lines 70, 72, 74 and 76. Such fold lines are normal to the back edge 62 of the blank 10. Fold lines 76 are intermediate the flaps and the body'of blank 10 to provide hinge lines, as will be described.

The paperboard blank 10 is generally shipped to the site of use in the form just described. Accordingly, it is fiat and numerous .blanks can be stacked together for shipment or storage.

The paperboard blank 10 is erected to the form shown by Fig. when it is readied for use.

The front edge flap 12 is formed to a box sectioned tubular shape on the fold lines 16, 18, 20 and 22. This provides the front edge spacer 78. The terminal end 80 of flap 12 is secured to the paperboard blank as by staples 82. The ear tabs 24 and 26 are folded on lines 28 and are tucked into the ends of the tubular spacer '78. This is best shown by Figs. 8 and 9.

The side edges of blank 10 are folded over upon themselves, on fold lines 44 and 46, as well as on the fold and slit line 50, 52, 54 to provide the close folded spacers 84. The first step in providing the side edge spacers 84 is to fold the terminal tucks 40 and 42 on the fold and slit line 50, 52, 54. The slit line 54 enables the tucks to lie closer to the next adjacent fold area, between the slit line and the fold line 44. The short fold lines 50 and 52 provide hinge areas. The terminal cross slits 56 and 58 serve to prevent the slit 54 from extending and destroying the hinge folds 50 and 52. They also enable the tucks 40 and 42 to be folded more easily. The double layer folded edge of the blank 10 is next folded on fold lines 44 and 46 to provide a triple layer thickness, as shown by Fig. 11.

The cut away corner areas 32, 34, 36 and 38 leave only a double layer thickness at' the ends of spacers 84. Accordingly, staples 86 are required to pass through only two paperboard thicknesses in securing the three layer thickness spacers 84 together, as shown by Fig. 10.

The inner edge of the spacers 84 have a more pronounced straight face, as shown in Fig. 11, due to the exposed cut edges of the fold areas on opposite sides of the slit 54. Accordingly, when the spacers 84 are finally erected to the position shown in Fig. 12, by being folded to an upstanding position on fold line 48, they are less subject to a further and unintentional folding over against the surface of blank 10. As will be shown, other means are also provided to guard against such an occurrence.

The flaps 66 and 68, which are struck from the back edge of blank 10, are folded on their fold lines 70, 72, 74 and 76 to provide closed tubular spacers 88. The terminal ends of the flaps 66 and 68 are secured by staples 90 to the blank 10. The spacers 88, as rolled into tubular shape, lie close to the side edge spacers 84. In such position they serve to prevent the further folding of the side edge spacers 84.

Spacers 88 will be noted to lie normal to the back edge 62 of the blank 10. Accordingly there are raw edges exposed inwardly of the blank.

A filler 92 is inserted within each of the spacers 83. The filler is shown by Figs. 2-4. It is also shown as disposed in the spacer by Fig. 6.

The fillers 92 are formed from the fiat blank form shown by Fig. 2. The blank includes fold areas 94, 96, 98 and 100 connected by fold lines 102, 104 and 106. The fold lines 102 and 106 also include slits 108 and terminal cross slits 110 and 112, intermediate their ends. The fold areas 94, 96, 9'8 and 100 each have their corners rounded on one end, as at 114. Fold areas 116 and 118 are connected to the terminal fold area member 106 by a fold line 120. They are themselves separated by a fold line 122. The intermediate fold area 116 will be noted to include ears 124 and 126.

The fillers 92 have the fold areas 94, 96, 98 and 100 lapped over on each other as shown by Fig. 3. The other folds 116 and 118 are then wrapped around so that the fold area 118 lies on top of the others and the fold area 116 covers their raw edges at one end. The ear tabs 124 and 126 extend beyond the sides of the multiple thickness folds.

Fillers 92 are inserted into spacers 88 from the inner side thereof. The ear tabs 124 and 126 engage the sides of the spacer 88 and prevent the filler from passing on through. Accordingly, the smooth face of fold area 116 is exposed towards the center of blank 10 and the raw edges of the spacers 88 are covered.

The disclosed clearance pad, formed as has been described, will be noted to include a spacer 78 at its front edge, spacers 84 at each side edge, and spacers 88 at the back edge and near each side. The formation of the back edge spacers 88, from the blank, provides a recessed area at the back of the clearance pad defined by the slit line 60 and the sides of spacers 88.

The clearance pad is received over the top of a television receiver cabinet. The unobstructed center area of the clearance pad is disposed next adjacent to the cover surface area of the cabinet. This provides a protective cover shield for the whole cabinet top. The spacers 84 are received between the sides of the television cabinet and the outer shipping container. The front edge spacer 78 is received between the front edge of the cabinet and the shipping container wall. The spacer 78 terminates short of the spacers 84, leaving an unobstructed area for television control knobs, and the like, along the front sides of the television cabinet. The back edge spacers 88 are engaged between the back edge of the television cabinet and the shipping container walls, and are spaced apart to afford due space for the end of the television tube which normally extends beyond the back of the television cabinet.

The spacers 78, 84 and 88 each take advantage of thespacer 78 in its tubular form. Such tabs are also formed to take advantage of the direction of the corrugations. Spacers 88' are formed normal to the surface planes between which they are disposed and thereby takes advantage of the direction of the corrugations. The spacers 88 are held in a tubular shape and are reinforced by the fillers 92 which are also formed to take advantage of the direction of corrugations.

The side edge spacers 84rwill be noted to extend the full depth of the clearance pad. Accordingly, they also serve as cross braces between the front and back walls of the shipping container. The spacers 84 take advantage of the direction of corrugations for this function.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been described, it will be understood that other modifications and improvements may be made thereto. Such of these modifications and improvements as incorporate the principles of this invention are to be considered as included in the hereinafter appended claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.

I claim:

1. A clearance pad for protecting merchandise in shipment, and comprising; a paperboard member received between said merchandise and the walls of an outer shipping container, said paperboard member having the side edges thereof folded upon themselves to provide multiple thickness side edge spacers, said spacers having a lesser thickness at the ends thereof and having said folded side edges secured together at said ends, a flap provided at the front edge of said paperboard member, said flap having multiple fold lines including a fold at the junction of said flap to said paperboard member, ear tabs extending from the sides of said flap, said flap being folded to provide a tubular spacer and having the end of said flap secured to said paperboard member, said ear tabs being tucked into the ends of said tubular spacer, a pair of symmetrical spacer forming flaps struck from the back edge of said paperboard member and including multiple fold lines normal to the back edge of said paperboard member, said back edge fiaps being folded on said fold lints to provide tubular spacers normal to said back edge and next adjacent said side edge spacers, and fillers received in said back edge spacers from the inner side thereof, said fillers including a protective end face received over the inner end of said back edge spacers.

2. A clearance pad for protecting merchandise in shipment and comprising: a paperboard blank having extended edge flaps, said flaps having preformed fold lines permitting said flaps to be formed to provide tubular legs extending the length of said flaps and disposed on the same side surface of said blank, at least one of said flaps having the corners thereof cut away to the first fold line from the end thereof, said first fold line also including a out line intermediate its ends, the outer edge of said one flap being folded inward on said cut and first fold lines, and again on the fold line second from the end of said one flap, for providing a three layer thickness having only double thickness ends more readily secured together by stapling.

3. A clearance pad for protecting merchandise in shipment and comprising: a paperboard blank having extended edge flaps, said flaps having preformed fold lines permitting said flaps to be formed to provide tubular legs extending the length of said flaps and disposed on the same side surface of said blank, the side edge flaps having the corners thereof cut away to the first fold line from the end thereof, said first fold line also including a cut line intermediate its ends, the outer edges of said side edge flaps being folded inward on said cut and said first fold lines, and again on the fold line second from the end of said side edge flaps, for providing a three layer thickness having only double thickness ends more readily secured together by stapling, at least one other edge flap terminating short of the corners of said blank and including tab ears intermediate the ends of said flap and extending towards said blank corners, said tab ears having fold lines normal to the fold lines of said flap for tucking said ears within the ends of the tubular leg formed by said flap and reinforcing said leg.

4. A filler for the tubular leg of a clearance pad formed from a one piece blank including a row of panels successively joined along fold lines, an end face panel joined along a fold line and extending transversely from said row, a cover panel joined along a fold line to said end face panel extending in the same direction from said row as said end face panel and a pair of gripping ears extending from the free edges of said end face panel, said panels in said row of panels folded one upon the other with said cover flap lying uppermost and said face panel extending across and covering the raw edges of said panels in said row of panels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,585,684 Oppenheim May 25, 1926 2,895,661 Budd July 21, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 67,831 France Mar. 24, 1958 (1st addition to No. 1,102,160) 1,102,160 France Oct. 18, 1955 

